Frenzied Photos of Headbanging Heavy Metal Festivalgoers

By Alison Nastasi

Sept 27, 2015

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Danish photographer Jacob Ehrbahn captured heavy metal fans in a hair-whipping frenzy while attending European music festivals. The deranged atmosphere at Denmark’s Copenhell, Germany’s Wacken Open Air, and Sweden’s Metaltown created the perfect opportunity to observe metal lovers violently shaking their heads and bodies in time with the music. Of course, it helps that most of the fans have long locks to accent their wild-faced photos.

“It’s just that everything becomes a whole when the music, the audience, and the band move to the same rhythm,” said one fan of headbanging. “You can’t help yourself, you’re just swept away by the mood, and then it’s really cool to show the band that you like the shit they’re playing. You can worry about the pain the following day.”

Ehrbahn’s images have been collected into a new book by publisher powerHouse, available on September 29. See the liberating moment when festivalgoers surrender to the music and unleash their inner metal beast in our gallery.